In 1779, British navigator and explorer James Cook, first known European to reach the Hawaiian Islands, was stabbed to death by island natives while investigating the theft of a boat.

In 1849, James Polk became the first U.S. president to be photographed while in office. The photographer was Mathew Brady, who is famous for his Civil War pictures.

In 1859, Oregon was admitted as the 33rd member of the United States.

In 1903, U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt signed a law creating the Department of Commerce and Labor.

In 1912, Arizona was admitted to the 48th member of the United States.

In 1920, the League of Women Voters was formed in Chicago.

In 1929, in what became known as the “St. Valentine’s Day Massacre,” gunmen believed to be working for Prohibition-era crime boss Al Capone killed seven members of the rival George “Bugs” Moran gang in a Chicago garage.

In 1949, Israel’s legislature, the Knesset, convened for the first time.

In 1989, Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini, offended by The Satanic Verses, called on Muslims to kill its author, Salman Rushdie. He offered a $1 million reward for Rushdie’s death, sending the writer into hiding. Iran rescinded the death sentence in 1998.

In 2012, Iran warned six European countries that it might cut them off from Iranian oil in reaction to international sanctions against its nuclear program. The threat was made to Italy, Spain, France, Netherlands, Greece and Portugal.

In 2013, police said they charged South African double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius with murder in the shooting of his girlfriend. Pistorius was convicted of culpable homicide, the equivalent of manslaughter, and sentenced to five years in prison.

In 2016, The Revenant was the big winner at the British Academy Film Awards ceremony. The survival tale racked up four BAFTAs: Best Picture, Best Actor for Leonardo DiCaprio, Best Director for Alejandro Inarritu and Best Cinematography.

A thought for the day: “People will pay more to be entertained than educated.” — Johnny Carson